Whether it’s Taco Tuesday or any other day of the week, there’s no denying that tacos are the all-time favorite, go-to comfort food.
They bring together the flavor of seasoned meat, your favorite veggies, hot salsa, sour cream, and crumbly cheese with every bite! When all these different flavors are wrapped in a tender tortilla, it makes for an amazing main dish.
The only problem is that choosing the perfect taco side dish can be confusing. While tacos are awesome, they are hardly a complete meal.
So, to have a hearty meal, it is best to pair your favorite tacos with an equally yummy taco side dish. However, finding the perfect side to compliment tacos is not always as easy as you may have imagined.
But no worries – if you have run out of ideas for taco sides, scroll down and take a look at what to serve with tacos!
1. Refried Beans
Refried beans and tacos is a classic combination. The sweet, earthy, and creamy flavors of refried beans make it the perfect option to serve with tacos.
It can also double as a dip for tacos and chips, which is why it is a popular choice for game nights and taco parties.
Now, this is where I gotta be legit honest with you about something. More often than not when I am going to have refried beans, I open up a can.
They are delicious and they are easy to heat up. But nothing will ever beat the homemade version of refried beans.
If you have the time to plan ahead, go ahead and make your own refried beans. You will not regret it.
2. Quinoa Salad
Tex-Mex Quinoa Salad or simply Quinoa salad is perfect for summertime meals, especially when it comes to summer picnics and parties.
Made from a variety of vegetables and protein-packed beans and quinoa, this crunchy and tangy salad will be an instant hit when served with tacos. All you need to do is cook the quinoa and assemble the salad.
Mix olive, lime juice, ground cumin, chili powder, and salt and pepper to whip up the dressing in just a few minutes!
3. Mexican Street Corn
The next time you make tacos, serve it with creamy sweet corn on the cob! Slather grilled sweet corn with a mixture of mayonnaise, chili powder, cumin, and cream. Sprinkle with cheese and serve with tacos for an exquisite meal. \
There is something so special about street corn. It is my favorite dish at a fair. So when I have it at home, I feel like it is a special occasion.
We have a full recipe for street corn that you can follow.
4. Cucumber Tomato Salad
Can you think of a better combination than cool cucumbers, ripe and plum tomatoes, and creamy avocados?
Add in some lime juice and cilantro to add a tangy flavor and VOILA… your tacos side dish is ready to be served!
The recipe is pretty simple. However, if you want the salad to look as good as it tastes, it is important to dice the tomatoes properly. So, before you make this scrumptious side, take a minute to learn how to dice tomato perfectly.
5. Avocado Fries
Surprise your guests or treat yourself by serving avocado fries with your favorite tacos. Coat freshly sliced avocadoes with crispy breadcrumbs and bake for around 15 minutes in the oven.
A crunchy, crispy, and scrumptious taco side dish is ready!
Pro tip: Squeeze fresh lime juice over the avocado fries before putting them in the oven. This will help preserve a beautiful color while baking.
6. Mexican Sweet Potatoes
While Mexican sweet potatoes are hearty enough to be served as a main dish, they also make a great side dish option for tacos.
So, if you are still wondering what to serve with tacos, it’s time you try Mexican sweet potatoes.
You can mix them up with corn and black bean salsa or flavor them with garlic powder and roast them in the oven – either way; Mexican sweet potatoes will complement all types of tacos.
Not only are these delicious but they also look beautiful on the plate.
7. Caesar Salad
Did you know that your plain old Caesar salad can take Taco Tuesday to the next level? You probably already know that salad is super-easy to make and extremely delicious.
Plus, a lot of people like to take a personal spin on it, which is why you can find multiple recipes to make this versatile salad. Try the one you like the best to serve it with tacos.
8. Cilantro lime rice
Plain rice is fine and dandy. I really love eating rice but let’s be honest tacos deserve better. Tacos deserve some jazz and pizzaz. That is why I believe that cilantro lime rice is the best way to serve rice with tacos.
Now, I highly suggest that when you make this recipe that you sprinkle a bit of extra cilantro on top when you serve it. Then squeeze fresh lime juice all over it.
9. Queso
Which do you believe came first queso or the taco? I believe that the queso came first and they invented the taco to dip in it. Regardless, it may be illegal to have taco Tuesday without queso.
Making queso doesn’t have to be complicated. You can make it in the microwave, the double boiler, or the slow cooker. However, you want to do it we have the best queso recipe for you.
My tip to you for making the best queso is to use the best cheeses that you can find at the grocery store. I am a huge fan of Cacique Crema Mexicana.
It is so rich and creamy. For years, I ignored it on the shelf but now it is almost always in my fridge.
10. Mexican sauteed vegetables
The best part about this dish is that you can mostly make it up based on what you have in the house. The primary tip that I have for you is to mix up the colors. What I mean is to use red bell peppers and green vegetables.
Don’t cut the veggies too small for this saute. You want the veggies to be easily eaten with a fork.
11. Pico de gallo
For years, the idea of making this at home intimidated me. I don’t know why because it is perhaps one of the easiest Mexican side dishes on the planet.
Pico de gallo is basically a dry salsa. This makes it so easy to eat with chips or even to put on top of your tacos.
A tip for making this recipe is to use fresh tomatoes. You don’t want them to be mushy. Also, be sure to completely deseed those tomatoes.
12. Mango salsa
If you can get your hands on some fresh mangoes then you absolutely MUST make this recipe and serve it with tacos today.
I believe that this recipe is best served at room temperature. You can make it in advance and store it in the fridge.
However, if you do that set this out when you start making the tacos. Then it will be the perfect temperature when it is time to eat.
13. Bonus item: Taco bell sauce
This isn’t a side dish but it does make tacos better. I love the mild Taco bell sauce and they did start selling it in stores. However, it is often sold out.
This is why I decided to recreate this recipe myself. It took me far longer to get this recipe right than it should have.
Now though, I will never again run out of this taco sauce.
Now that you know what to serve with tacos, Taco Tuesday will never get boring or predictable again. What’s more, is that you can always get creative with the filling to make exactly what you crave.
Want a taco for breakfast? Try egg, cheese, avocado, and chili filling. Craving a snack? Give mini beef and cheese tacos a try. There are various types of this Mexican delight and whatever you try – you just can’t go wrong with it.
You can even make your own taco seasoning from scratch. So, make tacos today and try these taco side dishes to enjoy tacos like never before!
Taco side dishes
13 of the best sides that go perfectly with your tacos. Learn how to make one of them in this guide.
Ingredients
- Refried beans
- Quinoa salad
- Mexican street corn
- Cucumber tomato salad
- Avocado fries
- Mexican sweet potatoes
- Caesar salad
- Cilantro lime rice
- Queso
- Mexican sauteed vegetables
- Pico de gallo
- Mango salsa
- Taco bell sauce
Instructions
- Pick a few taco sides to try
- Choose your best pick
Soraya M
Sunday 13th of September 2020
Tacos are always a big hit in my household.
marie cantelli
Friday 11th of September 2020
mexican is my fav, not sure how I am married to an italian man. I could eat tacos and street corn everyday lol
Soraya M
Friday 11th of September 2020
Thank you for all the wonderful ideas. I shall try them.
Kim Gilleland
Saturday 5th of September 2020
Will definitely have to try the avocado fries!
RICHARD SKUSE
Wednesday 2nd of September 2020
GOOD FOR YOU